Make sure your ports are covered!

By Robbie Adair, PS LIGHTWAVE Consultant

In this data-driven and IoT world, businesses have to take network security very seriously, re-evaluating and checking their current policies and procedures often. There are many steps to setup and then maintain a secure network. First is obviously the physical security, such as the servers, cabling, and devices. Who has access, where they are housed for protections against the elements, and power supplies are some of the major items to be considered on a physical network. Second is the non-physical part of the network, the “unseen” structure that allows for business to be conducted with internal and external employees and clients of the company. This non-physical side of the network is more often wrongly configured policies that need to be scrutinized, as digital space is the most likely source for security breaches.

Robert Jacobs, a PS LIGHTWAVE employee, recently received a surprise honor from one of our partners, Extreme. He has been a member of The Hub, Extreme Network’s community forum, since it was formed in 2014. This active forum has around 5000 users, and they moderate it with the help of a full time support engineer and various volunteers. Extreme started an “Embassador” (E for Extreme) program a few months back and have added a few chosen experts as contributors and helpers with issues and questions that are posted.

Facts regarding ISPs selling customer data

By Robbie Adair, PS LIGHTWAVE Consultant

In March 2017, the United States Congress voted to repeal the FCC Internet privacy rules that were going to go into effect later this year. The FCC Internet privacy rules were explicitly designed to prohibit Internet providers like Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and PS Lightwave from sharing, selling or utilizing client data like usage history, browsing habits, geolocation information, and more. There were policies in place before these rules, but they were unclear and confusing. By repealing the new rules, something that was lobbied for by many of the large scale Internet providers, the common fear is that ISP’s will be more aggressive in data gathering and sharing of your online activities.

At PS Lightwave, we use the DISC Assessment as a tool toward a better understanding of, and better communication with one another. DISC is the most widely used tool of its kind, and offers a comprehensive overview of the way people interact with one another, and process information from those interactions. “DISC” is an acronym for: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness, the four behavior types identified in the assessment.

To HTTP or to HTTPS

No need to debate this age-old question any longer, the evidence out there definitely says you should use HTTPS on all your websites, even if they don’t handle sensitive communications. Not only is HTTPS becoming a requirement for many of the new web browsers and progressive web apps, it provides security and data integrity for both your websites and your users' personal information.

Swen Wulf joined PS Lightwave as Network Architect and Security Manager in 2014 after working for Phonoscope Enterprises Group as Network Security Manager since 2002. With over 20 years in the IT world, Swen has extensive experience and knowledge of IP networks. Having worked at Solid Systems and Network Oil, Swen knows both sides of the Information Technology relationship and has a personal understanding how important it is that the customers’ servers are running and their network is secure.

During the recent presidential inauguration, heavy demand was placed on the PS LIGHTWAVE IP network. Customers were streaming video and audio and data from tablets, phones, laptops, desktops and IPTV devices across our market. January 20, 2017 was also the best day ever. It was proof that our engineering and our concepts worked. We delivered twice the amount of traffic over a three-hour period. There were no network issues and no problems for our customers. The Switched Layer 2 network routed all traffic beautifully.

PS LIGHTWAVE is pleased to announce that John Lambert, former Vice President of Technical Operations for enTouch Systems, has joined the PS LIGHTWAVE management team as the new Vice President of Operations. Former VP of Operations, David Caddle, was promoted to the position of Chief Revenue Officer, where he will be responsible for all revenue generation processes at PS LIGHTWAVE.

Password security as a topic comes up from time to time. The most important thing you need to know about password security is to use complex passwords. Typically, people create a complex password, but then the same password is used on multiple sites. The problem with this is that if your account on Website A is compromised and you used the same email and password on Website B, you are going to be exposed and busy for a while changing passwords everywhere.